Natural Remedies Can Save Your Life, Naturally

Initially when I came across this article, written by Mina Shahriary for Live in the Now, I thought it was old and outdated. For years, we have known about the dangers of carcinogenic products and their correlation– not necessarily causation- to cancer. But how much do we really know about the impact of home cleaning products (specifically the chemicals in them) causing breast cancer? Then I thought about it. If that were to be true, then the opposite must equally be true. That truth is that natural remedies can save your life, naturally? What do you think?

Natural Remedies Can Save Your Life, Naturally

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of death for women. Research has identified a number of factors that may play a role in its development, but much about the causes of breast cancer remains unknown.

Environmental links have been identified, but they tend to be difficult to prove. A number of studies have linked chemical exposure to breast cancer, but the bulk of the research has focused on the chemicals women put directly on their bodies, such as those found in cosmetics, deodorants and shampoos, rather than on chemicals women may be regularly exposed to in their homes.The strongest associations were found with mold and mildew cleaners (such as those used to clean showers and bathroom tile) and solid slow-release air fresheners. (Of the women who reported regular use of air fresheners, 90% developed breast cancer.) Insect repellents, oven and surface cleaners were also found to increase risk, though to a lesser extent.

While these findings will need to backed up by additional research before they gain wide acceptance, they parallel previous findings in research on animals. Many of the chemicals found in cleaning products have been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and contribute to breast cancer in animals. These chemicals include phthalates, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, terpenes, benzene, styrene, synthetic fragrances and some antimicrobial agents, said lead researcher Julia Brody, who is the executive director of the Silent Spring Institute, a non-profit organization

concerned about environmental links to breast cancer.

The researchers acknowledged that the study, because it was based on survey data, is imperfect because of something called recall bias. They asked the women to a) recall the extent to which they had used cleaning products, and b) whether they believed exposure to chemicals could cause cancer. Not too surprisingly, they found that women with breast cancer who who believed chemicals contributed to the disease were more likely to report heavy use of chemical-containing household products, which could indicate that their answer to the first question was distorted by their beliefs.

It’s quite possible, however, that these women were perhaps more accurate in their accounts, since they might just be more aware of their past exposures to household chemicals.Original Story Here.

In this day where new carcinogenic products are identified daily, its hard to know which products are truly safe. One minute they’re safe, the next minute you find yourself on a Larry H. Parker commercial. My rule of thumb is simple: prevention, baby, prevention! And there is no better method of prevention than au naturel. In that respect, natural remedies can save your life, naturally!